As of January 1, 2025, goat kids can no longer be slaughtered before they are at least two weeks old. Many of them are now fattened for 3 to 5 weeks and receive slightly better care. This change was largely driven by the efforts of Eyes on Animals, which brought attention to the transport of very young goat kids in the media and political arena. As a result, the industry was pressured to phase out the transport of newborn goat kids and encourage farmers to fatten them on dairy farms instead.
Raising the minimum slaughter age from 7 to 14 days has also led many farmers to keep their kids for a longer period of time—typically 3 to 5 weeks—since the market prefers slightly heavier animals. This shift has not only made it more financially viable for farmers to keep the kids longer, but it has also incentivized them to ensure the kids stay in good condition, as their value increases with age and weight. Additionally, we have successfully pushed for improvements at slaughterhouses, such as better-designed teats for warm milk upon arrival and improved stunning procedures.
Industry stakeholders have also informed us that the overall condition of goat kids during transport and at slaughterhouses has improved, with far fewer arriving in a weakened state. However, our work is far from over. Even at 2 to 5 weeks old, goat kids remain extremely young and vulnerable. We will continue monitoring their situation and advocating for further improvements—such as increasing the minimum age even further and working directly with slaughterhouses to reduce suffering at every stage.
